Idylls of a Queen
by Azar443
Summary: Sequel to Fall Leaves and Homecoming, but can be read as a standalone, should you wish. Emily's home for Christmas this year, and maybe there's a mite of Christmas magic at work.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** Ok, first off, Merry Christmas guys! Although it's still Christmas eve in some parts of the world. Anyway. This was written as a sort of a sequel to "**Fall Leaves and Homecoming**", and was requested by my dear friend **LacytheRomanWerewolf**. I didn't plan for it to be a Christmas fic but procrastination and finals made it to be that the only time I had to write this fic was practically a few days before Christmas. As such, I give you **Idylls of a Queen**, title in style of Alfred, Lord Tennyson's Idylls of a King, about King Arthur.

Without rambling on another half page, this story is written for and dedicated to Lacy. It's also dedicated to my wonderful Twitter friends (I'm not sure if you'll read this): **Cierra, Leonie, Valentina, Larissa, Colette, Nooshin, Brittanie, Karen and Emily. **They were really kind to me when I first joined the Twitter fold for the Hotchniss fandom and this is a sort of (rather crappy) thanks to them. Merry Christmas, read, review and enjoy!

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Emily sighed as she eased into the leather couch of her newly purchased flat. It had been nearly 2 months since her return and her old team had been really amazing in helping her settle back into her former home. Penelope had found an apartment with good security (which incidentally was near to both Hotch and JJ's homes) and Dave had introduced her to a friend of his who was somewhat of an interior designer, which meant Emily didn't have to think about what sort of furniture to get or where to best get it. Everyone came around when she finally moved in and pitched in, doing whatever they could, meaning Spencer just awkwardly got in the way and sprouted statistics about how long a person, on average lived in their homes before moving away.

It was strange, being back in DC. Seeing her old friends and meeting Alex Blake, her replacement, had stirred a yearning for her once-home that she thought had diminished after… Emily closed her eyes, even after 3 years the thought of her "death" at Doyle's hands could shake her to the very core. Hotch was right, she never really dealt with her supposed death. A small smile crossed her lips as she thought back to Aaron Hotchner's unexpectedly warm response to her return at Dave's party. Of course he was right. There was probably a universal agreement that whatever Aaron said, _was_.

Hotch had been perfectly polite, if not a little distant. But Emily chalked that up to his subsequent breakup with Beth. They were still figuring out their long suppressed feelings for each other, and while she was pretty sure she had fallen for her stoic, but drily humorous unit chief, but Emily knew he needed more time to mull over whatever realizations he had come to on her return.

Picking up the remote, Emily lazily flicked through the television. CNN, movie, movie – _eww_ was that _porn_? Shaking her head disgustedly, she hurriedly changed the channel again before she caught an eyeful of parts she most certainly did _not_ need to see. Reality TV show. She frowned at the voluptuous woman on screen arguing about something with her sisters. What were they called, the Kardashians? Emily snorted, _probably this generation's Paris Hilton._ She finally settled on a Hallmark movie which, while cheesy, was definitely much better than the rest of her very limited options.

The little boy playing in the snow onscreen, squealing with joy pulled a faint memory from the recesses of Emily's pleasantly drowsy mind. It was the first and only time she had spent Christmas with the Hotchner boys. Haley had just been murdered that year, and Hotch, with Jessica having gone to spend the holidays with her grieving parents, had been desperate and at loss for words when Jack had cried and demanded that his mother fill his stockings, not Hotch. With no one else he trusted enough to turn to, the new widower called Emily and begged for her help.

She recalled that it was one of the rare times when they actually had been stand down in time for Christmas. Usually they could only take off before or after Christmas, but with the Bravo team volunteering to be on active duty for some strange, but not unwelcome reason, Strauss had signed off their 2 week long leave. Everyone on the team had scrambled off to different parts of the country, afraid that if they stayed any minute longer their unexpected good luck would wear off and disappear. Only Emily and Hotch had not taken off, Hotch deciding that it was best for Jack to stay home for the holidays and Emily's parents being stateside scrapped any plans they had made for Christmas. Not that she had minded; it certainly was better than having to listen to her mother moan about the lack of a man in her life. Emily loved her mother, but the Ambassador hung onto that damn topic like a dog to a bone.

Emily rolled her eyes. Great. How her mind had managed to veer off topic from Jack to her mother was astounding. Anyway, she remembered the desperation in Hotch's voice as he called for her help at 8pm and as soon as she hung up Emily bundled up with several secret weapons and gunned her car to the Hotchner residence. Thank goodness the Unit Chief's new apartment wasn't that far from her own home and she made it in a record 10 minutes. Emily knew things were bad when Hotch threw the door open and practically pushed her in without even grumbling about how she probably broke a thousand speed limits to get there.

Though in hindsight it was a good thing it had taken her such a short time to arrive. Poor Jack, who was clad in his pajamas, was sitting in the middle of the simply furnished living room, toys strewn all around him as he cried and yelled for his mother. Emily's heart had broken for the poor child, and thrusting her coat and bag to Hotch, had proceeded to gather the devastated child in her arms. Jack's small arms immediately latched on around her neck, and Emily felt her own tears slip down her face as Jack wet the crook of her neck with his own salty tears. Cradling the child in her arms, she settled down slowly onto the floor, rocking back and forth as she crooned a Russian lullaby she had learnt when her mother was stationed there. A child of only 6 then, Emily had found the curling tongue of the language and rhythm soothing and singing it to Jack; she hoped the boy found at least some measure of comfort in the song.

Emily didn't know how long they had sat there, didn't know when Hotch had tidied the toys and settled beside them. All she knew was that she couldn't let her poor Jack cry and grieve during the holidays. Soon, his wails turned into little sniffles and hiccups, and Emily cooed as she rubbed his small back gently. Resting her head on the child's downy hair, she shot a sad smile towards Hotch, who mouthed a subdued 'thank you' to her. Feeling Jack tug on the lapels of her shirt, she looked down to gaze into his teary eyes. Letting out one more hiccup, he declared quietly, "I want my mommy."

The brunette wiped the tears away from his wide stare and dropped a kiss onto his button nose. "Your mommy's with the angels now, Jack, she can't come back down." Jack frowned and pulled away slightly from her, "I want my mommy! I don't want her to be with the angels, I want her to be with me!" Emily pursed her lips; this boy was as obstinate as his father. Brushing his sandy blonde hair back, she tilted Jack's chin up, "Jack, baby, look at me." When his gaze reluctantly met hers, she smiled, "Have you ever seen an angel, Jack?" His eyes widened and he shook his head furiously, "No, Em'ly." She chuckled and readjusted him within her arms, "Well angels are very beautiful beings. They have big, white wings behind them like-" He interjected, growing somewhat excited at the mention of the celestial beings, "Like swans!"

Emily had laughed then and hugged him closer to her, "Yes Jack, _exactly_ like swans. And you know, not everyone gets to be an angel. Only good people are allowed to be angels and look over everyone on Earth." Jack's brow furrowed, "But mommy is good, so she _has_ to be an angel, Em'ly!" She nodded seriously, "Yes Jack, your mommy was a very good person and she _is _an angel now. And angels are kind of like daddy and Uncle Derek and Aunty JJ, they protect people Jack." Tilting her head, she asked, "Your mommy is helping the angels keep away the bad guys too, Jack, only she's doing that in heaven." Jack nodded slowly, dismay and understanding dawning in his bright eyes. "And if mommy's not in heaven she can't help fight the bad guys."

Hotch cut in then, reaching out for his son and Emily carefully helped Jack scramble out of her arms into his father's. Holding Jack tightly, the stoic man's voice cracked as he spoke quietly to the little boy. "Jack, your mommy will always love you. You remember how I said she'd always look over you?" Feeling his son nod into his chest, Hotch continued, "Well even though you can't see mommy, it doesn't mean she isn't here." The blonde head popped back up as Jack stared disbelievingly at his father, "Like a ghost?"

Emily moved closer to them, squeezing Hotch's hand as she did so. "No silly. Legend says that when a butterfly or a moth flies into a home, it's because the people we love who are gone, like your mommy are _here_." Placing her hand gently over Jack's heart, she whispered, as if telling him a secret. "And your mommy will _always_ know what's going on with you and love you, no matter what." Jack's lower lip trembled before he nodded slowly, hiccupping as he gave his father a hug. "'M sorry, daddy." Hotch, the relief clear across his tired face, hugged him back, his words muffled by Jack's pajamas. "I'm sorry too, buddy, I love you." His eyes met Emily's, and she nearly sobbed at the sadness practically overflowing from his beautiful, warm brown orbs. "I love you so much."

All was quiet for a moment, before Jack started wriggling in Hotch's embrace. The adults chuckled as Jack turned his attention to the bulky bag Emily had brought with her, "What's that Em'ly?" The brunette blinked; she nearly forgot about her provisions. Straightening her form, she hurried and grabbed the bag, opening it to reveal several hot flasks and transparent bags that seemed to be holding –

"Cookies and candy canes! Em'ly, they're my favourite!" Jack scrambled up and rushed towards Emily as fast as his short legs could carry him. Emily handed him the packets of a variety of cookies and red and white striped candy even as she smiled sheepishly to an amused Hotch. "What? I thought it would cheer him up." He let out a small laugh and maneuvered an ecstatic Jack to the kitchen while simultaneously placing his hand on Emily's back, "I didn't say anything Prentiss." Emily felt her cheeks heat up slightly at the warmth of his hand on her and she cleared her throat, covering up her blush. "Didn't think you would, sir."

The flasks, as it turned out, contained wonderfully smelling hot cocoa, which according to Emily was made based on Grandpa Prentiss's very ancient and secret recipe. "In fact, my grandpa once told me that a king liked _this_ cocoa so much," gesturing to the steaming cup of liquid, she winked at a raptured Jack and smiling Hotch, "that he ordered Lord Prentiss to prepare it for him every Christmas. And _that_, Jacky boy, is how we have this wonderful cocoa today." Jack's mouth gaped wide open and he whirled around to face his father, "Daddy! Did you hear that? A _king_ drank Em'ly's special cocoa!"

A loud belly laugh emitted from Hotch and Emily's eyes softened at the rare moment of pure joy as he ruffled Jack's hair, "Yes buddy, and we should thank Emily for bringing you so many gifts." He smiled gratefully at her once more, and she felt a faint blush creep up her cheeks. Jack nodded fervently and spoke through a mouthful of crumbs. "Pfhanks Emfly!" The brunette just giggled and tapped his nose, winking at Hotch, "You're welcome. I was just glad I could help."

Jack tugged at Hotch's hand, looking up at him pleadingly, "Daddy, can Em'ly stay with us tonight? _Please_?" Hotch directed a "what can you do" gaze at his fellow profiler and Emily chuckled, bending down to Jack's eye level. "I'm sorry Jack, but I need to go home tonight. But maybe you and I could go look for a present for you Dad tomorrow, yeah?"

Jack's lower lip jutted out in protest but he finally gave in, crossing his arms and peering seriously at the brunette before him. "You _promise_, Em'ly?"

She nodded solemnly and crossed her heart, "I promise Jack." The child scrutinized her for a bit before nodding reluctantly, "Fine. But you gotta keep your promise Em'ly, 'cause Daddy says you _always _have to keep your promises." Hotch chuckled lowly and patted his son's head, "That's right Jack, and Emily will be here tomorrow. Come on buddy, it's late, say good night and thank you to Emily."

Jack hugged her tightly, mumbling tiredly in her ear as his earlier fit and tears finally caught up on him. Emily gave him a warm squeeze and smoothed his hair back fondly, "Good night Jack, now go to sleep sweetie." He turned to give Hotch another hug before he ambled off to his bedroom, blonde hair sticking up as he rubbed his eyes and yawned loudly.

Emily smiled at Hotch as he helped her up and the two adults stood quietly for a moment, calm once more restored in the Hotchner residence. The clocked ticked on, subdued, and Emily wondered about the little creaks and noises Hotch would hear as he lay in bed, waiting for sleep to claim him, but not before he remembered how George Foyet taunted and hurt him, how he killed Haley and how his son now had to grow up not knowing what his mother would do or say when he got bad grades at school, or when he had his first crush. It was sad, to spend Christmas with the death of a loved one hanging over you.

A short series of hard knock brought Emily out of her reverie, and she started a little before hurrying to see who the day had brought to her door. A quick glance through the peephole identified a familiar face and she smiled slightly before unlocking and throwing the door open, inviting her guest in.

"Hey Hotch."


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** Thank you so much to those who read or reviewed: **rmpcmfan, Laila S, Gerardfan, SkyAlessa and Ramona. **Also special thanks to **Cierra** for her wonderful, kind words! Second chapter is shorter than the first, but I didn't want it to be too wordy. Read and review, and enjoy!

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Aaron Hotchner had no idea what he was doing standing outside of Emily's apartment. Sure, their much needed talk was probably long overdue –he'd been hiding behind the excuse of breaking up with Beth- but honestly, neither had made the effort to seek each other out. Really, he hadn't known what had made him get into his car and drive along the snow ridden roads to Emily's apartment, just a day before Christmas.

All right, maybe he _did _have an idea. Rossi's not so subtle prodding had been a factor, certainly, but it was Jack, once he was determined for Emily to stay forever, had literally shoved his father out the door to convince her that staying was the best option for everyone. Hotch rolled his eyes as he prepared himself to knock on the door; if only the UnSubs he caught could see him now.

Three brisk knocks and he could hear her shuffling about inside. The sound of the TV faintly floating through the door crack, he took a deep breath as the door slowly edged open to reveal her smiling face. She greeted him almost shyly as she let him in. "Hey Hotch."

He offered a smile of his own and removed his gloves. "Hey, am I interrupting?"

She snorted and turned to face him, "Are you serious? I'm freaking bored out of my mind here, Hotch. God, I could give you a medal for showing up right now!" Hotch laughed a bit, a dimple slipping out, "Glad I could help, Emily."

Emily. He rarely called her that in the 6 years he's worked with her, could probably count on one hand the times he called her by her first name. It sounded nice, familiar almost as it rolled off his tongue effortlessly. She felt a tingle of pleasure then but cleared her throat. It was too early to make assumptions; they were practically starting over here, and she really didn't want to scare off the one man she _really_ wanted.

"Can I get you anything to drink?" She shrugged a little, "I've got whiskey, bourbon or even beer if you like." He smiled, "Whiskey would be fine, thank you." Glad to have something to occupy her hands with, she bustled about in her kitchenette, "So what brings you to my apartment on Christmas Eve Hotch? I thought you'd be at home with Jack right now."

Running a hand through his hair, he stood awkwardly near the couch, "Yeah, about that. Jack uh," he cleared his throat, "Jack seems to think that I need to talk to you, make sure you stay here forever." _With us_.

Emily bit her lip as she brought the drinks over and waved for the dark haired man to sit, "Oh? And why's that?" She felt some heat creep into her cheeks; they were dancing around the subject and she was afraid she'd screw up badly. Twisting her fingers nervously, she rambled on, "I mean, it's not like I plan on leaving anyway. I just… I mean I _do_ have to find a new job and figure what I'm going to be doing now that I'm back but" she broke off into a slightly breathless giggle, "I mean, why would Jack ask _you_ to talk to me about that?"

She would've gone on and on had Hotch not covered her hand gently with his. She stared at his larger hand; funny how she never noticed how much smaller her hand was compared to his. And his hands were warm, it was nice.

His quiet voice penetrated her slightly panicking mind, "Emily, look at me."

She darted a glance up at him, curious to see the amusement in his dark eyes. He leaned forward, his other hand joining the first to hold her in his grasp. "Emily, I'm not going to lie. The past two years have been _hell_ without you. We missed you so much, _I_ missed you. Every time we talk about cases and the UnSubs I keep turning around, expecting you to give your input." He shook his head, intense gaze capturing her widened eyes. "Alex is a good agent and profiler, _but she isn't you_. No one can replace you, you understand me?"

Her breath caught in her throat, Emily managed to speak, wincing when her voice cracked a bit, "So you missed me, as a member of the unit?"

Hotch narrowed his eyes at her, "Emily…" She shook her head obstinately, "No, Hotch. I want to hear you say it." Biting her lip, she looked down, murmuring, "Or else I won't be able to believe it." She heard him shift, and suddenly he was on his knees before her, tilting her head up. She felt the stinging of tears at the sight of the earnest love and tenderness in his warm chocolate eyes. His calloused fingers traced her porcelain skin, and he seemed to drink in every exquisite feature of her face. Slowly, he brought their entwined hands up to his lips and laid a gentle kiss on her slender fingers.

"I missed you, Emily. And I think…_no_, I _know_, Emily" he looked back up at her, willing her to understand, "after all those years of telling myself we could never be anything, I love you Emily Prentiss."

Tears brimming and threatening to fall, she disentangled one shaky hand and cupped his cheek, disbelief clear in her voice. "You love _me_?"

The corner of his mouth tilted and he nodded, "Yes, _you_. Do you want me to repeat that, Emily? Because for you," he breathed as he leaned in closer and Emily felt as though her heart would leap out of her chest any moment, "I would say it again and again for a thousand years and never tire of it."

What woman wouldn't melt at that quietly passionate declaration? But Emily was a woman broken too many times over her 40 years of living, and as much as she knew she loved the man before her, it all seemed too surreal. It was too _perfect_; nothing could really be that perfect, not in real life, not for _her_.

The brunette pulled back, and Hotch frowned at her actions. "Emily?"

She shook her head, "What about Beth?"

Hotch stared at her, perplexed. "I broke up with Beth, Emily. She was never who I wanted."

Still unconvinced, she persisted, determined to find some flaw in the seemingly perfect future that the world was telling her was hers. "Then why did you date her, if you never wanted her? Why didn't you tell me before I left? I would've stayed, Aaron, if you asked me too." As the words left her lips, she faltered. She knew that last sentence was a lie, and he knew it too.

Hotch's grasp on her hand remained firm even though she tried pulling it back. "Emily, listen to me. You know why I dated Beth? Fine, because she reminded me of you. Obviously, you and she are worlds apart but damn it, I couldn't have you Emily! And when I saw her, saw that she had your dark hair and dark eyes I thought maybe, just _maybe_ I'd be able to forget you if I dated her." Grimacing at the thought of the woman's harsh slap when he broke things off, he continued, "But I was wrong. She was never you, could never be you, no matter how much I wanted it to be so. And for the second part, would you _really_ stay if I asked you to, Emily?"

She opened her mouth to protest, but he silenced her with a finger against her lips. "You needed to find yourself again, and you couldn't do that here. We both know that you were miserable here, Emily, you _needed_ to leave before you could understand your home was here, with us." He tugged her gently, and she reluctantly slipped on the floor to kneel before him, "With _me_, Emily. You're home now, and I, my dear," kissing her nose –oh how he loved seeing her blush- he pushed her dark locks back, "intend on making that a permanent arrangement."

Emily felt herself staring and drowning in his warm, laughter filled eyes. She shook her head, shooting him an impish grin. "You're pretty confident of yourself, aren't you Aaron?" He cocked a brow and shot her a smug grin, "Am I wrong, then Emily?"

She rolled her eyes and snuggled close into him. "No, you infuriatingly, astute man. You're absolutely right and" she sighed in contentment, "I _am_ home." Looking up at him, she gave him a brilliant smile, one that lit up the room and made his heart soar as though it had gained heavenly wings. "I love you, Aaron Hotchner."

His gaze softened, and he bent down to meet her eager lips in a chaste, slow kiss. Moving his hands to envelop her slim frame, he shifted them both so that she was nearly sitting in his lap, earning a muffled giggle from her. Emily sighed into his lips as she wrapped her arms around his neck, settling back into the languid kiss. They didn't have to hurry. She was home now and he was here, and they would have their entire lives to make up for lost time, with more kisses and embraces, and quiet "I love you"s.

Christmas carols blared softly from the forgotten Hallmark movie as the credits rolled slowly on the screen. Snow was falling and from the streets you could hear the joyful yelling of children and the cajoling of parents, and bells and voices caroling. Aaron Hotchner looked down at the beautiful woman in his arms, and he smiled. It was going to be a wonderful Christmas this year.

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**AN2: **If any of you were put off by the seeminglysudden "I love you", well I'd say it was a long time coming. They'd had a long time to digest their feelings and they're profilers. Denial only goes so far. Thanks for reading and I'd love to know what you think!


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: **Sorry for the late update; spent my Christmas feeling sick and running a flu. Anyway, this chapter is different from the first 2 chapters in it's style. I wanted a more romantic, fantasy sort of feeling for it and I hope it worked out. Minimal dialogue but I hope I got everything I wanted across. Thanks to **Celina79, Laila S, Gerardfan, rmpcmfan and Guest **for reviewing. Read and review; your feedback is golden!

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The skies have turned dark by the time she's convinced him to go home. Reluctantly, he peppers her with little kisses as he's getting his coat back on, and she's laughing and pushing him out of the door, because she knows he'd never leave if it were up to him. But she also knows he's got an expectant son waiting at home for his father, and she can't bear to break the child's heart once more.

The weather outside is frightful, and he insists that she stay inside. No need for her to bundle up and endure the freeze just to send him off, so she's standing at her window, where she can see him trudge up to his car. He knows she's watching, so he turns and gives a half wave before sliding into his car. There's a small smile playing on his chapped lips and she's smiling too, because they know that they've crossed the line that's always stopped them short of really being happy, and she hopes that maybe this time, her happiness will be real and permanent and eternal.

He's greeted by a door flung wide open by a very excited blonde child, who throws himself at his legs the moment he's through the door. Jack fires off rapid questions of his talk with Emily; what did she say? Will she stay? Will she spend Christmas with them? What did _he_ say? And oh did she _agree_ to stay?

Aaron wants to draw the questions out as long as possible; if he's honest he's enjoying the exasperated look on Jack's face at his father's seemingly obtuse responses. But the pout on Jack's face proves too much for him, and he playfully rolls his eyes before giving his son the answer he's been waiting for. A happy shriek sounds through their home, and Aaron laughs as Jack barrels into his legs and starts chattering about the plans they'll make with Emily.

Jack goes to bed with a wide smile on his face, one that Aaron hasn't seen in so long. His eyes soften as he brushes back his son's golden hair; Emily has been sorely missed and the joy, now that she's back, is certainly magnified by the magic of Christmas. Padding to his own bedroom and turning off the lights, Aaron feels his mouth sporting his own smile. It seems, after years of everything going wrong, that things just might be looking up.

There's a Christmas party at Dave's the next morning, and Emily's starting to think the universe is playing some strange trick on them. They really have come full circle, from the wedding and her departure, to her return and to the solidification of the belief that _she is home_. And it's all happened in Dave's home. She shrugs and combs through her hair, letting it fall softly to her shoulders as she pulls on her thick winter coat over the red dress she's wearing. Her phone rings and amidst the rush of picking gifts strewn here and there, she manages to fumble and receive the call. "Hello?"

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Aaron huffs as he tries to coax his over-excited son into his warm clothes even as he reaches for his phone. Jack's fidgeting and shifting causing them to be 20 minutes late, he calls ahead to warn Emily of their late arrival. He had promised her that they'd be by to pick her up to go to Dave's home together. She picks up on the third ring and he can't stop the smile that escapes at her slightly breathless voice, "Emily, hey, I'm sorry but I'm afraid we're running a bit late. Jack's very excited to see you and he's not exactly cooperating with me right now."

Emily chuckles over the other end, warm and low and she settles on the couch, boots before her. "It's all right. You tell Jack I'm _very_ excited to see him too." She can hear Hotch's exasperated sigh as he gently admonishes his boy and her soft voice brings his attention back to their conversation.

"I'll see you when you get here, Aaron."

There's a strange sort of elation at hearing her say his name, and he clears his throat before murmuring into the phone, "I…I love you, Emily." His voice breaks in the middle of his admission, but he doesn't care. He's proud he's managed to get it out, proud that for a man who isn't known for being all smiley and touchy-feely he's succeeded in telling her how much she means to her.

Her eyes widen for an instant; she didn't think he'd say it again so soon but it's a testament to how far he's come along since his earlier days of scowling at everyone behind his desk. It warms her insides, to think how he's trying so hard, just for _her_. She blinks away the sudden tears and she's sure he can hear the wide grin she's sporting through her voice, "I love you too, Aaron."

The Hotchners reach Emily's apartment 20 minutes later, and considering the snow covered roads she's pretty sure he broke all speed limits to get here. She giggles a bit as she unbolts her door to let them in; guess Jack's not the only one who's excited to see her. They exchange hasty greetings before Aaron shepherds them out of the door, taking the keys from her and locking the door, twice. Call him paranoid but if Foyet and Doyle have taught him anything it's that the world is full of psychopaths and it's better to be safe than sorry. He knows from the twinkle in her eyes that she's appreciative of his paranoia. Squeezing her hand tenderly, the trio bundle into the car and off the go, presents in tow to the first real, complete family gathering in two years.

Mudgie greets them at the door with slobbery kisses and Dave chuckles as he pulls the enthusiastic dog back. He gives Emily a quick kiss on the cheek, and Aaron and Jack a hug and pat on the back. The interior of the house is tastefully decorated in holly and ivy, and there's a massive tree in the middle of the living room with brightly wrapped present beneath it. Not for the first time, Aaron wonders if the veteran keeps a decorator or event planner on retainer.

The entire team, including Will and Henry, and Alex and her husband are already in little clusters all over Dave's spacious living room. Emily cocks a brow as Derek sneaks a kiss from a blushing Penelope under the mistletoe, and she throws JJ an eye roll; it really was about time. Will is watching contentedly over his son as Jack leaves his father's side to seek out his playmate, both boys giggling as they launch into rapid conversation about cartoons, toys and candy. The children enlist Spencer into their gobbledygook, and the lanky genius throws himself spiritedly into their discussions. Emily feels her heart melt at the sight of her Jack taking a seat next to JJ's spouse, holding onto the younger boy securely as Henry settles himself on Jack's lap, even more so as Spencer enfolds both boys into his embrace and the childlike joy on the young man's face.

Aaron sees the wistfulness in his love's eyes, and he presses a quick kiss to her temple, winking at her when she turns to him. She shivers a little at the promise and possessiveness in his dark eyes, and he pulls her closer, hand curling around the curve of her slender waist. The former media liaison for the BAU slaps her hand over her mouth to stifle her excited squeal at the affectionate display by her unit chief and her best friend. JJ catches Penelope's eye and jerks her head towards the oblivious couple who're trading playful, yet dark, electricity charged gazes. The tech goddess's eyes widen and she slaps Derek's biceps hurriedly and Emily's former partner chuckles at the sappy look on Aaron's face. The man was so whipped.

Alex smiles to see the obvious affection between Aaron and Emily as he laughs at something she said. She's been on the team for two years and never has she seen her leader look so content. She hopes she can get to know her predecessor better; she who can elicit such a joyful sound from the reserved man must be an extraordinary woman indeed. Cuddling closer into her husband's arms and feeling him squeezing her shoulder, Alex Blake thinks maybe she's found her place after all.

Lunch is an informal, unrestrained affair with a simple, yet bountiful buffet ensuring that there's something for everyone. Jack and Henry are delightfully munching on animal shaped nuggets and buns, and there's caviar and turkey and eggnog for the adults. Everyone laughs when the two boys pull a face at the black substance that was the caviar, and JJ shoots a dark glare at Dave who's innocently hiding the bottle of vodka that she _knows_ he's trying to spike the punch with. Now Aaron understands why Spencer has been randomly sprouting the oddest statistics even for him, often broken up by little hiccups.

Presents come next, and it's evident that no one enjoys it more than Jack, Henry and Spencer, the kids of the team. Emily has gifted everyone with little trinkets she's collected while in England, each personalized to their interests and personalities. Penelope and JJ are ecstatic to open their gifts to find exquisite little earrings; dices and little mirrors for Penelope and golden horseshoes for the latter. Aaron runs a hand over the leather bound journal bearing his initials in gold and his eyes widen when he opens it to find quotes and little passages written in her neat cursive writing. His eyes are clouded with tears and he pulls her close, kissing her boldly on her lips much to the surprise and, judging by the catcalls and whooping, joy of everyone. He looks down at her flushed, beaming beautiful face and he thanks the gods that he's been given a second chance with this wonderful woman.

Gifts continue to make their appearance and soon the floor is filled with vibrant wrapping paper and silky ribbons. Mudgie happily frolics through them, creating even more of a mess before a portly woman, Emily thinks her to be the caretaker Dave employs to care for his vast home, rushes to haul the barking dog away. It's funny how chaos follows them wherever they go, but this time the brunette takes comfort in the fact that this is a _good_ chaos, one that signifies their comfort together as a family.

Emily curls on the couch with Aaron by her side. They had hardly been apart the entire time, and she's pleasantly drowsy after the alcohol and his warm hand tracing circles through the fabric of her silk dress. He's thumbing through the journal she's given him, and the soft sound of laughter and chattering and the clinking of glass slowly lull her to sleep. He smiles as he hears her breath even out; he tugs the afghan on the couch onto her, covering her form. Kissing her forehead gently, he murmured his love for her once more before going back to the journal. It's still early in the day, and no one is thinking of leaving just yet.

The team lingers in different corners of the room and quiet contentment emanates from each person. The children are slumped asleep under the tree, Henry practically lying atop Jack. Spencer is snoring quietly on a chair with his hands folded over his stomach, the alcohol clearly taking a toll on him. Penelope, JJ and Alex are gushing over their presents and gossiping about their men, and Will, Derek and James Blake are talking about sports, each nursing a glass of the spiked punch. Dave is scratching a happy Mudgie's ears as the two sit on the carpeted floor, watching over their guests.

The older profiler looks over to the dark haired couple sitting together on the couch and he chuckles to see that Emily's asleep. Petting his dog cheerily, he nudges the happy dog with his foot. "About time, eh, Mudgie?" Mudgie whines in response, and Dave likes to think that the dog is intelligent enough to understand and agree with what he says. He feels Mudgie's wet licks on his hands and he laughs, ruffling the dog's fur. "We're home buddy, we're home."

* * *

"Christmas... is not an external event at all, but a piece of one's home that one carries in one's heart." ~ Freya Stark.


End file.
